Andrographis
The 'King of Bitters', an intensely bitter Ayurvedic leaf.
Full Andrographis ProfileHERBAL LIVING
Herb Profiles
These profiles are the heart of the site: one for every herb on our shelves, written the way we would describe the plant across the counter, honouring its tradition and its science within the therapeutic guidelines we work under. Each follows the same shape. Where the plant grows and what it is known for. The compounds of note. How people take it. Its character and companions. Its precautions, stated plainly. Every profile is referenced, and where a herb has a recorded monograph, its actions are drawn from it. We describe how a herb is used, not what it will do. Read them to become a better judge of what you buy and a more confident maker of your own tea, blend or tincture.
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Ashwagandha
The grounding root at the heart of Ayurveda.
Full Ashwagandha Profile -
Astragalus
A mild, sweet root, a staple of Chinese herbal tradition.
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Bee Pollen
Golden granules gathered by bees, sweet and floral.
Full Bee Pollen Profile -
Blue Lily
The sacred blue lotus of the Nile, floral and dreamy.
Full Blue Lily Profile -
Brahmi
A small creeping water herb, treasured in Ayurveda.
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Burdock Root
An earthy, slightly sweet root from the thistle family.
Full Burdock Root Profile -
Butterfly Pea
Vivid blue flowers that turn tea a brilliant indigo.
Full Butterfly Pea Profile -
Cacao
Raw cacao, rich and bitter: the original chocolate.
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Calea
The Mexican 'dream herb', an intensely bitter leaf.
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Calendula
Golden marigold petals, bright in the cup and the garden.
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California Poppy
California's golden wildflower, a mellow evening herb.
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Catnip
A soft, minty leaf from the mint family.
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Cat's Claw
A woody Amazonian vine named for its hooked thorns.
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Catuaba
A Brazilian bark with a storied place in Amazonian folklore.
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Chaga
A dark, earthy mushroom that grows on northern birch trees.
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Chamomile
Soft, apple-scented flowers, the classic gentle cup.
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Chaste Tree
Peppery Mediterranean berries, a traditional women's herb.
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Coltsfoot
A soft, woolly leaf with a long European folk history.
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Cordyceps
A prized mushroom from the high mountains of Asia.
Full Cordyceps Profile -
Corn Silk
The fine golden threads of the corn cob, mild and sweet.
Full Corn Silk Profile -
Cramp Bark
Bark of the guelder rose, a traditional women's herb.
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Damiana
Our favourite herb: a sunny, aromatic leaf from Mexico.
Full Damiana Profile -
Dandelion
The humble dandelion, earthy and bitter-sweet.
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Devil's Claw
A hook-fruited root from the Kalahari, notably bitter.
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Dong Quai
An aromatic root, among the most treasured in Chinese herbalism.
Full Dong Quai Profile -
Dragon's Blood
A deep red tree resin from the Amazon.
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Echinacea
The purple coneflower of the prairies, tingly on the tongue.
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Elecampane
A tall sunflower relative with a bittersweet, aromatic root.
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Epilobium
Small-flowered willow herb, a mild European tea herb.
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Feverfew
A daisy-like herb with bitter, aromatic leaves.
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Garcinia Cambogia
The sour rind of a tropical fruit, used like tamarind.
Full Garcinia Cambogia Profile -
Ginger
A spicy, zesty root, loved in kitchens and teapots alike.
Full Ginger Profile -
Ginkgo Biloba
Fan-shaped leaves from one of the oldest tree species on earth.
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Gotu Kola
A small round-leafed herb, cherished across Asia.
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Greater Celandine
A poppy-family herb with bright orange sap.
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Guarana
Amazonian seeds, naturally rich in caffeine.
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Guayusa
An Amazonian holly leaf, smooth and naturally caffeinated.
Full Guayusa Profile -
Gumbi Gumbi
An Australian bush leaf, long respected by First Nations peoples.
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Gymnema
A climbing vine known in Hindi as 'gurmar'.
Full Gymnema Profile -
Hawthorn
Berries, leaf and flower of the hedgerow hawthorn.
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He Shou Wu
A storied Chinese root, also known as fo-ti.
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Herb Robert
A wild pink-flowered geranium with a distinctive scent.
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Hibiscus
Ruby-red and tart, hot or iced: the everyday cup most studied for the heart.
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Hops
Aromatic, bitter flowers, best known from brewing.
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Horny Goat Weed
A Chinese leaf herb with a famous name and folklore to match.
Full Horny Goat Weed Profile -
Horsetail
An ancient, feathery plant, naturally rich in silica.
Full Horsetail Profile -
Jasmine
Delicate white flowers, intensely fragrant.
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Jatoba
Bark of a towering Amazonian tree, brewed as a traditional tea.
Full Jatoba Profile -
Jilungin
An Australian bush tea from the Kimberley, traditionally taken at night.
Full Jilungin Profile -
Kanna
A South African succulent, traditionally chewed by the San people.
Full Kanna Profile -
Kava
The ceremonial root of the Pacific Islands, earthy and peppery.
Full Kava Profile -
Kola Nut
West African seeds, naturally caffeinated: the original cola.
Full Kola Nut Profile -
Korean Ginseng
The famous root of East Asia, prized for centuries.
Full Korean Ginseng Profile -
Lavender
Fragrant purple flowers for the cup, the bath or the pillow.
Full Lavender Profile -
Lemon Balm
A lemon-scented leaf from the mint family, gentle and bright.
Full Lemon Balm Profile -
Lemon Myrtle
An Australian rainforest leaf, intensely lemony.
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Licorice Root
A naturally sweet root that rounds out any blend.
Full Licorice Root Profile -
Lion's Mane
A shaggy white mushroom with a long culinary history.
Full Lion's Mane Profile -
Lion's Tail
South African 'wild dagga', orange-flowered and resinous.
Full Lion's Tail Profile -
Lobelia
A North American herb with a sharp, peppery taste.
Full Lobelia Profile -
Maca
A Peruvian highland root, malty and nourishing.
Full Maca Profile -
Manuka Leaf
Leaf of New Zealand's manuka tree, aromatic and traditional to Maori.
Full Manuka Leaf Profile -
Marijuanilla (Siberian Motherwort)
Siberian motherwort, a soft leafy herb for blends.
Full Marijuanilla (Siberian Motherwort) Profile -
Marshmallow
A soft, silky root and leaf, mild and slightly sweet.
Full Marshmallow Profile -
Matcha
Stone-ground Japanese green tea, vivid and savoury.
Full Matcha Profile -
Meadowsweet
Sweet, almond-scented flowers of the damp meadow.
Full Meadowsweet Profile -
Milk Thistle
Seeds of a purple-flowered thistle, mild and nutty.
Full Milk Thistle Profile -
Moringa
Leaves of the 'drumstick tree', green and nutritious.
Full Moringa Profile -
Mucuna
The velvet bean, a staple of Ayurvedic tradition.
Full Mucuna Profile -
Mugwort
The dreamer's herb: a silvery, aromatic leaf.
Full Mugwort Profile -
Muira Puama
An Amazonian wood with a long place in Brazilian folklore.
Full Muira Puama Profile -
Mullein
Soft, velvety leaves, light and fluffy in a blend.
Full Mullein Profile -
Mulungu
Bark of a Brazilian coral tree, a traditional evening herb.
Full Mulungu Profile -
Nettle
Deep green and mineral-rich, a nourishing everyday tea.
Full Nettle Profile -
Oat Straw
Green oat tops and straw, mild, sweet and nourishing.
Full Oat Straw Profile -
Olive Leaf
Leaf of the olive tree, a Mediterranean staple.
Full Olive Leaf Profile -
Palo Santo
Fragrant 'holy wood' from South America, for ritual.
Full Palo Santo Profile -
Passionflower
An intricate climbing flower, a classic for winding down.
Full Passionflower Profile -
Pau D'Arco
Inner bark of a South American tree, earthy and woody.
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Paw Paw Leaf
Leaf of the papaya tree, pleasantly bitter.
Full Paw Paw Leaf Profile -
Peppermint
Cool, bright and familiar: the after-dinner classic.
Full Peppermint Profile -
Pine Needle
Fresh, resinous needles for a forest-scented tea.
Full Pine Needle Profile -
Pine Pollen
Fine golden pollen collected from pine catkins.
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Psyllium Husk
A gentle seed husk, rich in soluble fibre.
Full Psyllium Husk Profile -
Raspberry Leaf
A mild, tea-like leaf, a traditional women's herb.
Full Raspberry Leaf Profile -
Red Clover
Sweet pink blossoms from the meadow.
Full Red Clover Profile -
Red Lily
A red water lily, floral and dreamy.
Full Red Lily Profile -
Reishi
The glossy red 'mushroom of immortality' of Taoist tradition.
Full Reishi Profile -
Rhodiola
A hardy Arctic root with a rose-like scent.
Full Rhodiola Profile -
Rose
Fragrant petals and buds for tea, blends and ritual.
Full Rose Profile -
Rosemary
The resinous Mediterranean leaf of remembrance, kitchen and study.
Full Rosemary Profile -
Saffron
Hand-picked crimson threads, the world's most precious spice.
Full Saffron Profile -
Saw Palmetto
Berries of a small American fan palm.
Full Saw Palmetto Profile -
Schisandra
The 'five-flavour berry' of Chinese tradition.
Full Schisandra Profile -
Shatavari
A wild asparagus root, Ayurveda's foremost women's herb.
Full Shatavari Profile -
Shiitake
A savoury culinary mushroom, revered in East Asia.
Full Shiitake Profile -
Siberian Ginseng
A hardy shrub root from the forests of Siberia.
Full Siberian Ginseng Profile -
Sinicuichi
The Central American 'sun opener', with a long ritual history.
Full Sinicuichi Profile -
Skullcap
A blue-flowered herb of the mint family, a classic for a busy mind.
Full Skullcap Profile -
Slippery Elm
An inner bark that turns silky in water.
Full Slippery Elm Profile -
Soursop Leaf
Leaf of the tropical soursop tree, a gentle evening tea.
Full Soursop Leaf Profile -
Speedwell
A small blue-flowered meadow herb from European tradition.
Full Speedwell Profile -
Spirulina
Blue-green algae, dense in protein and nutrients.
Full Spirulina Profile -
St John's Wort
Sunny yellow midsummer flowers with a long folk history.
Full St John's Wort Profile -
Stevia
A leaf sweeter than sugar.
Full Stevia Profile -
Stonebreaker
A small tropical herb known in the Amazon as chanca piedra.
Full Stonebreaker Profile -
Suma
A South American root sometimes called Brazilian ginseng.
Full Suma Profile -
Sunflower
From the sunflower seed, a simple kitchen staple.
Full Sunflower Profile -
Tongkat Ali
A Malaysian rainforest root, long and notably bitter.
Full Tongkat Ali Profile -
Tremella
The translucent 'snow fungus' of Chinese kitchens and beauty lore.
Full Tremella Profile -
Tribulus
A small spiny fruit from Ayurvedic and Chinese tradition.
Full Tribulus Profile -
Tulsi
Holy basil, India's sacred, clove-scented herb.
Full Tulsi Profile -
Turkey Tail
A banded bracket mushroom, used in China for 2,000 years.
Full Turkey Tail Profile -
Uva Ursi
Bearberry leaf: small, leathery and astringent.
Full Uva Ursi Profile -
Valerian
A pungent, earthy root, the classic bedtime herb.
Full Valerian Profile -
White Lily
A white water lily, sacred to the Maya.
Full White Lily Profile -
White Sage
Silvery sacred sage, for cleansing and ceremony.
Full White Sage Profile -
White Willow
Willow bark, bitter and astringent, used since antiquity.
Full White Willow Profile -
Wild Lettuce
A tall wild lettuce with a bitter, milky sap.
Full Wild Lettuce Profile -
Wild Yam
A twining vine root from North American tradition.
Full Wild Yam Profile -
Wormwood
Silver-leafed and famously bitter, the herb behind absinthe.
Full Wormwood Profile -
Yarrow
Feathery leaves and white flowers, a hedgerow classic.
Full Yarrow Profile -
Yerba Maté
South America's shared brew, grassy and naturally caffeinated.
Full Yerba Maté Profile
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